Sealed reed contact unit



Feb. 27, 1945. F. w. STUBNER SEALED REED CONTACT UNIT Filed Sept. 2,1945 INVENTOR F W STUBNER BY I "11" ATTORNEYv FIG. 2

Patented Feb. 27, 1945- SEALED REED CONTACT UNIT Franz W. Stubner, PortWashington, N. Y., as-

signor to Bell Telephone porated, New York, N

York

Laboratories, Incor- Y., a corporation of New Application September 2,1943, Serial No. 500,919

1 Claim. This invention relates to switching devices and particularly todevices for controlling electrical circuits.

An object of the invention is to produce a sealed reed contact devicecapable of sequentially closing a plurality of circuits.

Another object of the invention is to produce a device responsive todiflerent degrees of external magnetic influence to selectively close aplurality of electrical circuits.

In accordance with this invention a sealed reed device is provided witha single rigid contact piece and a plurality of flexible reeds havingtheir ends overlapping the end of the rigid element. The flexibleelements are arranged to respond to different degrees of energization sothat selective and sequential operation thereof may be provided. Thismay be accomplished by making the air gaps of diiierent dimensions whilethe reeds have like properties or the reeds may be of diflerent degreesof stiffness and be spaced equally from the rigid element.

A feature of the invention is a sealed reed contact unit selectivelyresponsive to different degrees of external magnetic energization 'forclosing a plurality of electrical circuits.

Another feature of the invention is a sealed reed contact unit havingmeans to close a plurality of circuits. sequentially in response to aslowly increasing magnetic influence.

Other features will appear hereinafter.

The drawing consists of a single sheet having two figures, as follows:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device with an energizingwinding diagrammatically indicated as wound thereabout; and

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

The contact unit consists of an envelope l, preferably of glass. Intoone end thereof there are sealed two rods 2 and 3 of magnetic materialhaving a coeflicient of expansion matching that of the glass body I. Tworeeds 4 and 5 are welded to therocls 2 and 3 respectively and formresilient means responsive to magnetic influence to move into contactwith'ai centrally located electrode.

Into the opposite end of the body I there is sealed a tube 6 ct magneticmaterial to which the centrally located electrode I is fixed by weldingor any other appropriate method. As indicated by the dotted line theelectrode 1 may be oval in shape so that during the process of sealingin the tube 6 the electrode 7 may be rotated to adjust the normalspacing between such electrode I and the two reeds 4 and 5. It shouldespecially be noted that the spacing between the electrode 1 and thereed 5 is less than that between the electrode 1 and the reed 4. Underthis arrangement it will take a smaller energization, as by anexternally wound coil 8, to move the reed 5 into contact with theelectrode I than it will take to move the reed 4 into contact with theelectrode 1. If in use the current traversing coil 8 is graduallyincreased, reed 5 will first move toward electrode 1 and later if theincrease of current in cell 8 is continued, reed 4 will move intocontact with electrode 1., The reverse sequence will occur upondeenergization of the coil 8.

It may be noted that the support for the electrode l is in the form of atube 6 and that this has a hole 9 inside the unit. This is provided fortubulation purposes so that after assembly the unit may be evacuated orfilled with any appropriate inert or non-corrosive gas. After such anoperation the unit is sealed as by crushing the external end of the tube6 or by filling such end with solder.

In the drawing the size of the parts and the adjustments are exaggeratedin order to give a clear understanding of the principle of the in-Vention.

What is claimedis:

In a circuit closing device, an enclosed vessel, a rigid contact elementof magnetic material sealed into one end thereof, and a plurality ofmagnetic reeds sealed into the other end thereof with their endsoverlapping the end of said rigid element, the said overlapping ends ofsaid reeds constituting contact surfaces cooperating with the end ofsaid rigid contact element, said rigid element being of ellipticalcross-section whereby the spacing between the end thereof and the endsof said reeds may be adjusted through rotation of said rigid elementabout its longitudinal axis.

FRANZ W. STUBNER.

